


Loose Ends

by Sezendra



Category: Yu-Gi-Oh! GX
Genre: But before Darkness, Duel Monster politics, Haou and Judai are the same person, Judai goes to the Duel Monster world, Nonbinary Yubel (Yu-Gi-Oh), Other, Season 4 pissed me off, season 4
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-25
Updated: 2020-12-18
Packaged: 2021-03-09 20:14:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 12,875
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27691949
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sezendra/pseuds/Sezendra
Summary: Judai wants to go to the Duel Monster world. Yubel thinks that's a stupid idea. Shenanigans ensue.This is what happens when I get so pissed at the lack of Yubel in season 4 that I (hopefully) write a whole fanfic to finally give myself closure. May my endeavors prove fruitful.
Relationships: Haou | Supreme King/Yubel, Minor or Background Relationship(s), Yubel/Yuuki Juudai | Jaden Yuki
Comments: 4
Kudos: 14





	1. Persuasions

> “We’re going to the Duel Monster dimension to see Misawa”.
> 
> Three eyes simultaneously rolled at the statement. This was something that has been nagging at the forefront of their love’s mind. Which coincidentally is where Yubel tends to reside due to their soul fusion not too long ago. They sought after him for so long, too long in fact, and they finally got their wish. Judai was forever theirs, and they were forever for him.
> 
> But even with the Light being cleansed from their soul, Yubel remains to be “clingy” at times in Judai’s words. He knows they mean well, and it’s not like he travels much anyways considering he’s still a Duel Academia student. And yet, this protective nature that Yubel exudes covers him much like a mother wrapping their child in 3 coats and a scarf when it gets the slightest bit chilly. Not that Judai knew a lot about that, though. His mother never was much and he had Yubel to accompany him for that short amount of time before the ‘incident’.
> 
> “I can tell what you’re thinking you know”, Yubel sighed out. “I thought I told you that is in the past and you need to look in the present before you find your future rushing by”.
> 
> “I’m impressed”, Judai chuckled. “It’s hard to believe that you are the same person that blindly thought killing my friends was a good idea to win over my affection. Could lose the sass though”.
> 
> “Does that mean you will drop your little hope of going to the other world?”
> 
> “Of course not. And there’s nothing you will do to stop me. Like you said, ‘I need to look in the present’ and the present is telling me that I haven’t seen Misawa since I chased after you.”
> 
> Yubel sighed again then leered at Judai and his smug grin. Even though it hasn’t been more than a couple months, Judai wants to go back into the Duel Monster world for the third time just to go see some extra in a high school play who is probably still drooling over their Amazon girlfriend. Not to mention that it’s the damn Duel Monster world, full of countless threats and dangers to Judai. It's nothing that the two of them could not handle, but it pays to be cautious. Especially in a hostile environment such as that. And Judai is right: Yubel would do nothing to stop him. The only way they could would involve hurting them, and they’d never purposefully do that.
> 
> With a final sigh, Yubel concedes, “Fine, I knew and know you. You won’t stop asking and sooner or later, you’ll find a way to get to the other dimension with or without my help. So I’ll make this easy for you. But! Some things to make clear before our venture”.
> 
> “Yeah, yeah. Don’t say anything, don’t touch anything, stay where you can see me, and no dueling. Did I miss anything… Well I was going to call you Mom, but y’know…”
> 
> Judai trailed off his tangent while looking at his partner’s obviously dubious stature. When he channels the memories of Haou, he never seemed to ask Yubel if they were a boy or girl. It’s not like they got close enough to get frisky when Yubel was still human, so it wasn’t possible to manually check. 
> 
> Judai’s voice lost its spunk and shifted to one of sincerity. He locked his eyes directly into Yubel’s heterochromatic ones and they stilled themselves instantly. 
> 
> “Yubel. I know what you’re trying to do and I really appreciate it. I’m not exactly like how I was in my past life and I’m not sure if I can be him. But you love me all the same and only want what’s best for me. I don’t just want to go see Misawa; he’s my friend of course but I’m not traveling through dimensions just to see him”. Yubel laughed to themselves at that one. “I want to travel with you. You, the one who will always understand me the most. The one who will always protect and care for me the most. The one who will always love me the most. That is who you are Yubel, for all-time. All I want is for you to be the one who will trust me the most as well”.
> 
> Yubel simply huffed and looked to the side of Judai’s cramped dorm room. But after hearing their love practically pouring his heart to them, it’s not like they could say no to a confession so toothrottingly wholesome they could feel the blush on their face. Hell, Yubel feels the blush on Judai’s face which only adds to the embarrassment they now feel. But he is right, Yubel must be the one they trust the most. To be Judai’s most prized possession and vice versa has been their dream for lifetimes. They will not fail.
> 
> “Promise me that you will be safe and speak to me if anything bothers you. Ok?” Yubel asked while reaching out their more human-like hand.
> 
> “I promise, now and forever”, Judai uttered out barely more than a whisper. 
> 
> Upon realizing the two of them have been staring into each other’s eyes ever since Judai started gushing out, they inched closer to each other’s faces. Slowly but surely, they got close enough to feel the breath of the other, further realizing that Judai’s eyes matched Yubel’s and made them corporeal. In that instant, Judai closed the distance and firmly yet softly kissed his eternal partner. Not to be outdone, they happily returned the affection and kissed harder and deeper. They kept at it for at least a minute until they parted and lovingly looked into their respective love’s eyes and smiled. Just as quickly, Yubel embraced Judai and enveloped him with their leathery wings; a true Gentle Darkness. 
> 
> “When do you want to leave?”, Yubel asked still in a low voice laced with affection.
> 
> “I was planning to leave today”.
> 
> “Then we can leave as soon as you're ready, but can we stay like this for a little while?”
> 
> Judai endearingly chuckled, “For as long as you need to, Yubel”.


	2. Intrusions

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There's slight mention of blood so if that's a trigger here's the warning

Judai was quickly met with the familiar purple sky and gray clouds of the Dark World dimension. As he moves around, the crunch of sand crisply fills the air and small monsters scatter to avoid getting crushed. Matching the sandy ground is a salty breeze with taste akin to the ocean. But again Judai was met with a stench not unlike fresh garbage mixed with day-old blood. Judai’s senses had a chain reaction which triggered his thought- to- be settled emotional trauma. Even with his fusion with Yubel, Judai is still at least partly human with human issues. Judai almost instantly regretted coming to Dark World, but this was anticipated. He wasn’t sure how he was going to react, but however big or small, Judai planned to push on. As if it was rehearsed, Yubel, now solid, firmly squeezed his shoulder with their human-like hand. To add to the reassurance, they added a smile. Not one a teasing one, but a genuine one. If they were anywhere else, Yubel would have already jested at their partner’s expense. Now is not the time, and they know that.

Gathering his bearings and with his eternal partner hovering at his side, Judai sets off to find his good buddy Misawa. At least, that’s what they would say if either of them knew where they were going.

“Uhh, hey Yubel?”, Judai whimsically asked. “I know this might shock you, but I don’t know where Misawa is. You wouldn’t have any idea where he might be, would you?”

The air previously thick with emotion swiftly morphed back as if they were on Earth again. A signature sigh followed by crossed arms and a deadpan stare really completed the “disappointed mom” look for Yubel. And Judai couldn’t help but laugh freely despite the treacherous land all around them. 

“Tell me, why would I know where your friend is when I haven’t even met him before? Let alone where he lives?” Yubel interrogated.

“Don’t you have some ability to detect where people are or something?” Judai asked. “Like some kind of Duel Monster radar.”

“No, I don’t. So now that we are practically lost in this forsaken wasteland of a world, our only option is to randomly wander around like a pair of peasants. That or we turn this around and call it a day.”

Without speaking, Judai walked in a direction he thinks is a good start. He quite literally has no idea where he is or where anything or anyone else is. For all he knows, the ground could collapse to reveal some giant underground monster. Or as he walks through a forest he triggers a booby trap set by some cannibalistic hunter. He could just bring out his HEROs and obviously Yubel if things reach the worst-case, but it adds to the culminating suspense to an already anxious teenager. But he moves one foot in front of the other in spite of the uncertainty. 

Around half an hour later, the two have traversed the sandy entrance of Dark World and found a large opening to a sparkling cavern. The walls were covered in lustrous, ice-blue crystals and stunning gems more radiant than the ones adorned on the Gem Beasts. Judai reached out to take one to someday give to Johan as a gift only to be met with the stern triple-eyed gaze of Yubel. It seems they were serious about the “don’t touch anything” rule. As they entered through the mouth of the cave, Judai paused, claiming this would be a good spot for a rest. He brought with him a couple of snacks: Onigiri stuffed with fried shrimp. Yubel does not need to eat, but they do admit that they enjoy some of the food Judai comes across. Even though they’re not a fan of shrimp, Yubel has learned to prepare it perfectly to simply gorge on the sight of their happy lover enjoying their culinary efforts. 

Right when they were starting to enjoy their snack, a large arrow came screaming towards Judai’s head. Luckily with a flick of Yubel’s wings the arrow was lodged in the side of the cave rather than Judai’s brain. To follow up the assault 5 monsters rushed towards them from the shadows. These were 3 goblins from the Goblin Attack Force, all carrying clubs dried with blood. Behind them was Dark Blade wielding his stunning and life-ending blade. It was revealed that further behind them was Broww, Huntsman of Dark World who was already readying a massive bolt to take his target out. Any human would scream and run or simply faint under these conditions, but Judai is the antithesis of normalcy. Unfazed by seemingly certain death, the once Supreme King walks towards them while still eating his snack. 

“So, mmh, care to explain what you’re doing and quickly please”, Judai spoke out still chewing his rice balls.

“Didn’t ya motha ever tell you to chew ya food before talkin’?”, one of the goblins said.

“Yeah, you a rude dude ya know that? Almost worth me bashin ya head in”, another one snarked.

The sound of a sword quick as the wind slashed through the air, silencing the goblins and getting Judai’s attention. “Boy. Hand over any and all of your possessions. If you comply without any difficulty and without questions, I will let you live.” 

Dark Blade stood and stared at him and Judai mimicked. The goblins were gnashing their teeth and clutching hungrily at their weapons while Broww had another arrow slotted into his bow. The air was charged with murderous intent, ready to detonate at any moment at the slightest movement. Having finished one of his onigiris, Judai hatches an idea.

“Better idea: I want all of you, every single one of you, to hit me at the same time. And don’t hold back”.

The 5 monsters simply looked at each other in complete confusion. If they were any wiser, they would have seen through this obvious feint. But due to their ignorance, the denizens of Dark World only chuckled merrily to themselves. Dark Blade and the three goblins formed a circle around Judai with Broww locking on right on his quarry’s head, sure not to miss again. Without warning, the monsters attacked in perfect synch with murderous glee. But their weapons did not rend soft flesh. It was something much harder. Like banging a fist against a wall, they were met with cold, unyielding resistance. Then, that wall opened to reveal a three-eyed demon whose wings had shrouded the boy. The eyes of the boy now matched the ones of the demon and, in unison, the pair said two words  **"Nightmare Pain”**. The monsters went from total puzzlement to sheer horror as 5 large tentacles lifted from the ground, destroying even the sparkling crystals in the cave. These tentacles wrapped around the intruders in feverish frenzy, and as they were about to let out cries of terror, the air only held silence soon after. Finally, Judai could finish the rest of his snacks. 

It took not much longer traversing through the cave to find a village full of humans and Duel Monsters. The village where Judai arrived when he met with Tanya again on his second visit to the other dimension. 

“See, I had everything under control”, Judai puffed out.

Yubel giggled, “There was never a doubt in my mind”. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Got first kudos, appreciate it. This is fun to write so I'll likely finish this. But I won't be able to write anything for the rest of the week because thanksgiving and traveling and blahdy blah family stuff


	3. Premonitions

A stark contrast to the cesspool that is Dark World, this village of Duel Monsters is a quaint reprieve from the disarray elsewhere. Aside from residing in a cave with luxurious, blue gems lining the walls, the village is its own marvel. Most notably the fact that some Dark World denizens are among the people living here. In addition, they’re working hand and hand with other Duel Monsters and even humans. Judai was amazed but moreover puzzled when seeing this. Not because Dark World monsters are cooperating with other people, but why are they even here in the first place? And why did other Dark World monsters act completely different than what he sees now?

He decides there is no use standing around wondering. He came here to see his friend, this was primary and everything else secondary. Judai walked down a hill of icy blue crystals to finally enter the village. However, he would not get too far. The village is encompassed by a cinderblock colored wall around 4-5 times Judai’s height. In the middle, a slightly battered burgundy gate of the same height. On top of these walls were sentries of various Duel Monsters that spotted Judai approaching. Before Judai could even speak, their weapons were unsheathed in practiced elegance, yet their eyes were laced with nervous fury.

“Halt!” an Alligator Sword declared. “You are approaching our village, Freedom. State your name and business or we will be forced to remove you”.

Judai was puzzled again. He thought, if anything, that the villagers recognized him and would have welcomed him happily. Something must have changed, and now it is starting to bug Judai.

“Alright. My name is Yuki Judai from the Earth dimension”, Judai sternly replied. “I came here to see my friend, Misawa Daichi. Is he here?”

The monsters looked back at each other as if unsure what to do. Judai could not hear their conversation, but one of the monsters left the wall upon speaking with the Alligator Sword. Not even a minute passed and the gates opened to reveal the man in question.

“Judai!? What are you doing here?”, Misawa questioned practically sprinting towards his estranged classmate. “When did you come back to the Duel Monster dimension? What happened to the others? What about Yu-?”

Judai grasped Misawa’s shoulders, “Good to see you too, Misawa.”

***

Now walking in the streets of the village, the two (former?) classmates make up for lost time.

“So everyone’s alright. Thank goodness”, Misawa sighed out in great relief. “But why are you here, and how the hell did you fuse with a Duel Monster? Tell me everything!”

“Misawa, please. One at a time.”

“But this is huge! Never have I ever seen or heard of fusions between people and monsters. I need details”.

“Ok, but it’s… hard to explain. In the simplest terms, it feels like your soul is on land versus being underwater. When you’re on good old terra firma, it’s just you. Mind, body, and soul solitary besides the minor things. But when you’re underwater, water is all around you all the time. And not in a bad or harmful way; it feels comforting. Similar to a warm blanket. Now imagine only your soul, not body, is experiencing this. That’s what being fused to a Duel Monster feels like”.

“Fascinating” was the only word Misawa said in response. It was the only thing his brain could say or think at that moment. But the #1 Ra Yellow quickly proved otherwise with pondering on how fusion is even possible. How could it be used or what properties would it give if multiple humans and multiple monsters were used. Judai practically saw steam fuming from his ears so he stopped any possible questions before he could ask them.

“So, how are you and your girlfriend?”, Judai asked with a knowing smile. “Made any progress yet?”

Misawa’s face turned redder than Judai’s jacket, “There is nothing between me and Tanya!”

“I never said a name, Zweinstein”.

Judai would never forget the face of his classmate. So surreal and vivid that if it was a painting, he would have named it “The End of the Line”. But having the mental fortitude that he’s known for (not really), Misawa shot back with a question of his own.

“Ahem, I’m just going to ignore that. Instead, how about you tell me why you’re here?” 

“Would you believe that I came here just to see you?”, Judai responded with his trademark liveliness.

“I would believe that but that can’t be the only reason. I’m not nearly close enough to you, like Johan was, for you to travel between worlds just to have a chat”.

“Perceptive as always, Misawa”. Judai’s face now hardens, his voice follows suit, “I was here for something on the back of mind. But now, ever since I got to this world, something’s been bothering me. And I need to know before I do anything else”.

“O-ok. What’s on your mind?”

“When I reached the entrance to this cave, a few monsters attacked me, or at least tried to. They were clearly monsters of Dark World. When I reached here, I saw Dark World monsters helping the village like they were Injection Fairy Lilies. And when I got to the gates, the monsters there stopped me, asking me my name. I thought one of them would recognize me, or they knew who I was through stories told by you or Tanya. When I left, when Haou left, what happened to this world?”

The look on Misawa’s face was starkly foreboding. After he spoke, Misawa averted his eyes from Judai’s as if he was suddenly attracted to everything else in proximity. But it was not only him. The other citizens in the village who unfortunately overheard reacted similarly. To everyone, the atmosphere felt a solemn downpour rained down over their heads. Judai noticed this, once again befuddled by the whole thing. He reached to question Misawa again when he felt a hand on his head. A large, sturdy hand.

“If this was any other circumstance, I would of held a banquet for your arrival”, the husky voice boomed out.

When Judai turned, all he saw was silver and brown clothes slightly masking incredibly defined muscles and tan skin. If it was any other circumstance, Judai would have met Tanya’s with a friendly smile. But this was no ordinary situation.

“It’s good to see you again, Tanya. But you’re right, something is wrong here and I need to know what, where, when, who, and why”.

“Then I shall”, Tanya replied.

When Judai and Yubel fused, they seemingly disappeared, including Haou. This would have been a joyous day that could have sparked an era of peace for Dark World, but it was anything but. Instead, the many armies of Haou now are under no master. No leader to follow and do their bidding. Not only Hoau, but the commanders directly under him like Skull Bishop or Baou have fallen, leaving no one but lowly troops. On realization that there was no one to follow, they chose their own path. Due to their servitude to Haou being only carnage and destruction, their lives only consisted of carnage and destruction. Burning, pillaging, and killing: Dark World became no different with Haou gone. Only now havoc is indiscriminate with former fellow soldiers turning on each other for something childish as greed or for something as twisted as the thrill of murder. Some Dark World monsters despised this lifestyle and retreated to settlements and villages with one another like Freedom. However, Dark World is still plagued with the degeneracy it is infamous for. The citizens of Freedom adopted this notion, and they now ignore the outside wasteland in hope of living lives free of such depravity. 

This explanation made sense to Judai. It explains all that he was concerned about like the monsters attacking him or the villager’s expressions. But with these answers leaves more questions. Namely, because Judai is such a paragon of virtue, how couls he fix this. 

“Judai, I know a lot was thrown at you. But something is approaching. Something dangerous”.

“I thought you said that you can’t sense monsters”.

Yubel guffawed out smugly, “I never said I couldn’t. But I’m serious. There is one very powerful enemy with almost 100 insignificant ones. Warn the townspeople and get ready to fight for your life.”

Misawa almost couldn’t speak when he saw Yubel, “Uh, Judai? We’re still here and we see and hear whoever or whatever the hell you’re talking to.”

“Then hurry up and evacuate the villagers and alert your warriors. This will be rough”. Yubel paused to ponder something. “Well, the two of us will be fine. You… not so much”.

“In any case, we’ll go meet whatever is coming”, Judai spoke out. “The rest of you: do what Yubel just said”.

Before Judai set to leave, he saw horror on Misawa’s face and sheer shock on Tanya’s. He didn’t even need to see it. Judai felt the immense gravitas weighing him down. Yubel took him into a bridal hold to fly on over to the wall. Immediately, a mountainous chunk of gold towered over the village, covering in a deep darkness with only its shadow. On closer inspection, the ‘chunk of gold’ had gargantuan bracers on even larger arms and legs, while smaller, were still as long and thick as tree trunks. Those limbs were attached to a human-like torso of unfathomable girth. Red jewels lay in the in three places down the middle from the top to the bottom of a massive piece of fauld armor. Judai and Yubel, now on the already tall village walls, have to crane their heads to meet the opponent in front. Matching the theme, the ‘chunk’s’ head was similar to a helmet with one large spike on top and two silver bull-like horns on the sides. All around its massive feet were the almost 100 monsters chomping at the bit to start their assault. 

The mighty monster looked down on the young duelist as if he was nothing more than a worm. At this instant, Judai abruptly covered his ears in fear of his eardrums blowing out. At first he thought he heard a volcano erupting point blank. Then he realized the “chunk” was talking.

“You must be the one called Yuki Judai. We have much to discuss”.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I may or may not find the time to write the next chapter for this week or the next as I have finals and final projects to do. But I believe next chapter might be the best out of the probable 5 I have planned. I'll try to make it as best I can.
> 
> Thanks for the kudos and hits btw. It's a little surreal to think people enjoy this especially because I see other Soulshipping fics 10x better than this one. But it's a nice feeling nonetheless so I truly appreciate it.


	4. Confrontations

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Writing this was an interesting experience

**Overwhelming.** That was the only word one could say when face to face with this behemoth. It had armor that shined a splendid gold sheen. Arms and legs that looked big enough to shatter mountains and carve out oceans. Silver, giant horns atop a contrasting gold helmet sharp enough to skewer through hordes of enemies too foolish to realize this “thing” could not be harmed. But that all paled in comparison the menacing gaze of eyes hiding in its helm. But anyone who looks knows he is watching. The king who claims ownership of everything he walks upon. He who rules over the earth itself. Sturdier than the mightiest mountains, grander than the greatest valleys, and stronger than any creature that walks or has walked. He is Granmarg, the Mega Monarch of Rock.

“That’s… big.”, Judai muttered out. He looked up to Yubel, “Anywhere in your memories did that thing show up?”

Yubel looked at Granmarg again, tilting their head in hope of some recollection. In a hazy flash, the duel spirit thought they saw it along with tall figures colored blue, green, and red.

“I am not certain. But at some place and at some time, I have met them." Yubel looked back at their treasure, “We have met them. They were important, but for what I am not sure."

Judai was hung up on the “they” part. Was there more than one? Did he have gargantuan brothers or sisters? A whole village of them? He wouldn’t be able to get answers as there were far more pressing matters at hand.

“Alright big stuff.”, Yubel barked at the titan in front of them. “I have places I could be seeing and a person I could be doing. What did you want to “discuss” with us?”

“Our King has sent us to take you out.”, Granmarg simply boomed in reply. “But on seeing this village, I have come here to claim it or destroy it. It is for the villagers to decide their fate."

“And what happens if I get in your way?”, Judai quipped back.

“Then you act on behalf of the people behind you and I shall lay waste to everything. For that is the will of our King."

“Who is this “King”?”

“I am under no obligation to tell you, especially to someone so puny. But I am willing to put that information on the line only if you are willing to put your lives and those of these peons on your dwarven shoulders."

“Tell me what we’re doing first."

“We will duel."

Yubel didn’t see Judai’s face, but they felt him. That brief but very present tinge of ecstasy he feels when about to duel. Which is a good sign; after his initial run in Dark World, Judai hasn’t been the same. But every so often, duels with high stakes such as these never fail to give him that rush he practically drowned in when arriving in Duel Academia those few years ago.

Whipping out his custom duel disk before loading in his deck with a seamless flow that surprised even the giant of gold looming over him, Judai was practically drooling at the chance to finally do what he does best. But upon taking his familiar stance, he realized something.

“So, is your duel disk big or do you even have a duel disk?”, Judai nervously asked.

A relatively compact pound of his arm alerted some of the monsters who were still stationary at his feet. Judai was hoping he had a gigantic duel disk with gate sized cards to boot. He was disappointed to find out that one of the monsters used their wings to land on the monstrosity’s shoulder and an identical one near his helm. There, the first monster prepared themselves like normal with Granmarg using the peripheral to view where the cards would be.

“Are you prepared, Judai?”

“Yeah! I’m going to enjoy this!”

At the same time, “Duel!”

“We’ll pity you, so you make the first move”, Yubel spouted sarcastically.

“Then in return I must warn you: Do not underestimate me. Draw!” The king looked at his hand. “From my hand, I set one one monster and one magic/trap card. End turn."

“Draw! _Limit reverse… Yubel is in my hand, but I can’t get them into the graveyard, at least not by themselves. Same with this Necrodarkman. I could you Fusion, but I don’t want that facedown monster to be a trap. So instead…_ I activate the magic card, A hero lives! When I have no monsters on the field, I can special summon any one Elemental HERO from my deck. So I summon Elemental HERO Neos!”

“I won’t allow it.”, Granmarg interjects. “Reverse card open, Solemn judgment. On activation, I halve my life points to negate the summon of a monster or activation of any magic or trap card. A Hero lives will not be activated."

“In that case, I summon Elemental HERO Sparkman in attack position! Sparkman, attack his facedown monster! **Spark Flash!** ”

“Then I shall reveal my facedown monster, Flip flop frog. And its effect activates at this moment. When flipped face-up, I can return one monster from your field back to your hand. Naturally I choose your Sparkman." Sparkman’s Spark Flash didn’t even reach before Flip flop frog’s tongue grabbed the HERO, and sent Sparkman hurling back to the hand.

“Tch, I set one card face down. End turn.” _“I can’t even keep a monster on the field. But, on the plus side, that thing is at half of its Life Points. All I need is to find a way to get a monster that can destroy his… frog. Why does he have a frog?_ "

“Done staring off into the abyss?”, Granmarg boomed out. “If you are so entranced by it, I will hurriedly send you there. It is my turn, Draw! I set one monster along with activating Flip flop frog’s effect. Once per turn, I can change its position to face down defense position. I set one card face down and end my turn."

“My turn, Draw! _Nice!_ I summon Elemental HERO Clayman in attack position! Then, I activate the Fusion magic card! With the Necrodarkman and Sparkman in my hand, I fusion summon Elemental HERO Darkbright! Battle! Clayman, attack the facedown monster on the left!” Clayman rushing forward activates the effect of Flip flop frog once again with Clayman returning to Judai’s hand. “Now that your Flip flop frog is face-up again, Darkbright attacks! Dark Flash!” Dark lightning emanates from Darkbright’s hands, screaming towards the pesky frog and detonating it in a satisfying explosion. “I’m not finished! When Darkbright destroys a defense position monster, you take damage equal to the difference in attack and defense!” A thin stream of black lightning reached right through Granmarg. Anyone in his position would have at least reacted, but he said nothing.

_“Calm as a cucumber. He’s now at 200 Life Points and I can summon Clayman next turn to bait out whatever that other facedown monster is and destroy it with Darkbright._ Turn end."

“My turn, Draw. I shall start this by flipping my monster face-up. I flip summon Morphing jar! When Morphing jar is flipped face-up, both players discard their entire hands and draw 5 cards afterwards. I do hope you did not plan on using anything in that hand of yours."

With Granmarg softly chuckling, Judai regrettably had to send everything, even Yubel, to the graveyard. As the young duelist drew five cards, he heard the soft chuckle of that titanium titan once again.

“What’s so funny?”

“There is nothing funny here. You will lose on my next turn. I tribute my Morphing jar to tribute summon Granmarg, the rock monarch!”

Out from the ground, a golden sheen blinded Judai before a monolith of a monster erupted out in front of the opposition. Excluding the spectacle that was Granmarg’s summoning, he felt something stirr within him. _“Yubel? What’s wrong?” “That name. I remember that name from somewhere, but it’s foggy. In any case, your focus should be less on me and more on this duel.”_  
He felt Yubel fade away into his conscious, a warm feeling that he always laments and adores all at once.

“Granmarg’s effect activates! When tribute summoned, Granmarg can destroy one set magic or trap card. Go Granmarg! **Burst Rock!** ” On call, Granmarg heaves a mighty piece of the crystal floor below, turns it into a heaping ball of molten rock, and hurls it directly on the Limit reverse card. “What was he planning on using that trap card for? Hmph, it matters not. He will lose on my next turn. I will make sure of that. Granmarg, attack Darkbright. **Burst Rock!** ” Again, Granmarg chucks a boiling boulder resulting in the destruction of Judai’s monster, causing him to nearly get thrown off the gate just by the sheer force of the hit.

“Aghhh! But Darkbright’s effect activates! When this card is destroyed, I can target one monster my opponent controls and destroy it. So I target Granmarg!” Flickering black electricity coils around the rock monarch, strangling it until it’s ripped apart with limbs melting into the ground when they land.

“Hmph, my statement still stands that you will lose on my next turn. I set two cards face down. End turn."

“My turn, Draw!”

“At this moment, Reverse card open! Imperial order! By my decree, all spell effects on the field are negated. My King told me about you and your fusions, but not anymore. I told you, you will lose next turn."

“Tch! _Now this fusion recovery is useless! If he didn’t use that trap, I could’ve used Fusion with Clayman and Sparkman to make Thunder Giant. But not like it matters. He has no monsters. I can still win this._ I summon Clayman in attack position! Clayman, attack him directly! **Clay Knuckle!** ”

“Useless. Reverse card open, Negate attack. It is as the card is named, this negates any attack and immediately ends the battle phase. How unfortunate for you.”, Granmarg says followed by yet another small chuckle.

“You keep on laughing, but did you forget? You have 200 Life Points and no monsters on your field. I’m making a prediction this time: I will defeat you on my next turn!”, Judai proudly declared. “I set three cards facedown. End turn."

“Hmm, a warrior spirit thrives in your soul. I can admire your courage, but this ends here, Draw! Because of Imperial order’s effect, I must pay 700 Life Points or destroy this card. Naturally, I choose destruction. From my hand, I activate the magic card, Restoration of the Monarchs. I target one monster with 2400 ATK & 1000 DEF or 2800 ATK and 1000 DEF in my graveyard, equip this card to it, and special summon it in defense position, but with its effects negated. I summon Granmarg, the rock monarch! Next, I activate the magic card Monster reborn, where I can special summon any monster from either graveyard. I choose your Elemental HERO Darkbright!”

“What!?” Judai’s graveyard in his duel disk glowed and burst out a shining streak that landed next to the lesser rock monarch.

“Due to Restoration of the Monarchs, the monster this card is equipped to can be treated as 2 tributes for a “Monarch” monster. I tribute Granmarg, the rock monarch, to tribute summon the grandest of the Monarchs, _ME_! I summon Granmarg, the Mega Monarch! Upon my arrival, I can target up to two set cards on my opponent’s field and destroy them. I choose your right and middle card! Melt and be crushed under my might! **Seismic Crash!** ”

Without moving, a devastating shock wave blew away the monsters at Granmarg’s feet and nearly toppled the gate and walls of Freedom. Of course, it also destroyed two of Judai’s set cards. But when Granmarg gazed upon what he thought would have been a crestfallen boy, he saw otherwise. A smile. A stupid, obnoxious, and irritating grin was plastered wide on Judai’s face. This bothered- no scratch that- angered Granmarg due to the point of almost spontaneous combustion.

“Stop smiling. **Stop smiling, you disgusting bug. Insignificant, wretched insect under my feet. I said I will end you this turn. And I do not go back on my word. I will end you personally. Darkbright, take out his Clayman. And I will finish you myself, MOUNTAINOUS FIST OVER HEAVEN!** ”

A salvo of black lightning surged and detonated the stony warrior. But Judai could not focus on that as Granmarg raised his mighty, furious fist over his head to ready a strike that would surely kill anything that would take it, all except one.

“Your trap cards were really annoying, so I figured I’d use one of my own. Reverse card open! Call of the Haunted! When activated, I special summon any monster from my graveyard in attack position. So I summon the guardian of my soul, my greatest ally, and my greatest love: Yubel!”

Out from the very soul of Judai came large, leathery, black wings. Flying then straight to the field was the extremely (no longer) sad dragon with their arms crossed and a toothy grin.

“They cannot be destroyed by battle, and any damage I would take in battles involving Yubel would be directed towards you. As long as they stand with me, you will never harm me. But, I dare you to try.”, Judai now smoothly said with eyes matching his soulmate’s.

Granmarg saw this, and instantly afterwards, his mind was flooded. A memory he forgot was there came to the forefront of his vision. One where he promised to never forget, and after many, many years, it has returned to him. His true King has returned to him. The smaller monsters on his shoulders look at him, head hanging in solemnity rather than raging in fury. They have never seen this before, but they knew exactly what was happening, and what needed to be done. One of the monsters jumped up and down yelling “Surrender! We surrender!” Granmarg no longer has the will to fight. It is against his creed to attack any further.

Judai, now puzzled, looked to Yubel with a puzzled expression to match. Luckily, Yubel knew what was going on and took their treasure in a bridal hold up to the big, forlorn giant.

“So. Did you enjoy your little duel?”

“Heh heh, yeah. But now I’m curious. Once he saw you, or maybe my eyes, he stopped attacking. He looks completely out of it. And he called himself Granmarg, the Mega Monarch. What’s that about?”

“That’s what I’ve been wondering. And I believe he will confirm my suspicions.”

WIth Judai in tow, Yubel hovered staunchly in front of Granmarg. The lamenting lord barely raised his head to meet them.

“Years and years have we been waiting. For your return. Haou.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I thought about not writing a duel for this chapter and having Judai just fight Granmarg. But I ended up going with my original idea as it was not as hard as I thought it would be. But I had to take the liberty of using cards that weren't released yet like A Hero lives and Restoration of the Monarchs and even using Flip Flop Frog because the interaction wouldn't work with Golem Sentry. Plus, I didn't want to make up cards. I'll leave it as a headcanon that Granmarg likes frogs. 
> 
> Next chapter depends on how lazy I am. I need to wrap up a final project and do two finals on Thursday, but I have nothing else for the rest of the month. So I expect the next chapter to be done by the end of the week and the fic potentially next week. However, dates subject to change.
> 
> Nothing to plug here. Stan Yubel.


	5. Retentions

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was fun to write

“You know who I am?”

Frankly, the last thing Judai expected was for this absolute unit of a monster to bow to him and call him by his past title. Especially since only one other person knew who he truly was, and they were holding him. But Granmarg wasn’t seen when he saw Haou’s memories during his sad duel with Yubel. 

“Yes. I know who you are, or at least, who you once were," Granmarg said now with even breath. “In truth, I know both of you.” His eyes were still hidden behind his massive helm, but Yubel knew who he meant. 

“I remember you, now. You were once a big pain in the ass. I almost killed you. But you changed; you remained loyal to Haou even to his death and beyond. It’s good to see you again, Granma.” 

Granmarg’s demeanor once was wrapped in a blanket of gravitas. He still remains in an aura of his signature seriousness, but the god-forsaken nickname sent him back hundreds of years, causing him his demeanor to spiral. 

“We are _not_ doing this. You called me that for centuries; you are not bringing that back.”

“Oh?”, Yubel replied with a smug aura and an even more complacent grin. “What are you willing to do to prevent that?”

“Anything.”

“Then start talking about why you attacked us. Who is this “King'' you claimed would rule this world? Last time I checked, this boy in my arms is the only candidate to perform such a task.”

“Yes, you’re right. But please, listen to my story. It will make sense in time.”

Yubel was still agitated by Granmarg’s betrayal, but they were no different. Granted they were contaminated with the Light and it wasn’t even their fault for being there in the first place. But they still did it. Judai was able to forgive them, and now they will remain together for all time. So they can excuse the metal lug, just this once. Yubel nodded to the Mega Monarch.

“Then, I should begin at the beginning.”

**Hundreds of years prior**

Ever since their conception, the 12 dimensions have remained separate and wildly different. From the barren, forever cutthroat wasteland that is Dark World to the outlier of the dimensions where Earth resides, they all have their own quirks, unique or otherwise. Though secluded from each other, it is possible to travel between the 12 dimensions, albeit through difficult means. And with interdimensional travel means the intermingling of different people and their respective cultures. Monsters and humans alike have traveled to dimensions adjacent for various reasons, and it was only a matter of time before others saw the realms as something to conquer. Any of the realms have been met with some conflict with those from other worlds or their own. But there exists one dimension no one would dare to even attempt conquering: Terra tyrannōrum. 4 monsters forever stand at guard with their armies, ready to claim the victory over the others. These immense warlords are the Monarchs who govern over the elements themselves: earth, fire, ice, and wind respectively. 

Overtime, the Monarchs have gotten stronger and stronger, becoming the self-proclaimed Mega Monarchs. These monsters are named Granmarg, Thestalos, Mobius, and Raiza. No matter how strong a monster thinks they are, no one tries to conquer the Monarchs. The Monarchs themselves hold that as an indisputable fact. In truth, the Monarchs, while mutually suspicious of one another, regularly hold summits to discuss interdimensional matters. Never have the Monarchs intervened as they couldn’t care less for something as trivial as the puny conflicts between mortals. However, troops of their respective militaries tell tales of a ruler clad in red. They claim him to be a benevolent king who acts only in the interest of his people. Through kindness and goodwill, leagues join under his banner in which his kingdom grows to reach the ends of the world he swears to protect. 

_They_ didn’t like that. The Mega Monarchs felt slighted that a king of his stature with armies and land of comparable size to them could do so with only kindness. It became clear even to their soldiers that the Monarchs were plotting how to rid this eyesore. Even fiery Thestalos, the Firestorm Mega Monarch, was willing to put aside his differences with Mobius in favor of destroying that good king. (Between them, Mobius and Thestalos have hated each other since they met, including numerous attempts, directly and indirectly, on the other’s life). Now the living phenomena gather in a cavern carved out of a mountain range. This place reaches deep into the land where lava pools reside. At the same time, the cave has cumbersome drafts swirling around due to the cold air from the outside rushing in. Only known to the Mega Monarchs themselves, it is properly named “The Indomitable Summit”. 

“Raiza,” Granmarg erupted. “It was from your warriors who presented this foolery. Tell us about this king.”

“You could at least ask nicely,” Raiza playfully breathed out. “But yes, they were the first to spread it, so I’ll do you a favor. The gist of it all is that some brat has been crowned the king of some backwater kingdom. But in only a couple of years, hordes of plebs come to practically worship him and pledge their unwavering allegiance.”

“Where is this kingdom?”

“In the Earth dimension on a planet called Puelis.”

“He’s a king with a bunch a butt kissers, so what? How’s he any different from the dime-a-dozen royalty across the realms?”

“If I wouldn’t be interrupted, I could tell you, Thestalos. What makes the kid different is that he uses compassion and not absolute power. As disgusting as it sounds, he’s a good king in every sense of the word.”

Mobius merely shifted. Granmarg pondered, unmoving. Thestalos, typical static Thestalos, nearly caused the magma to flood the Summit using only his emotions. Mobius had to freeze them over to prevent becoming vapor, much to Thestalos’s ire. Before the two were to bicker again, Granmarg stepped in.

“We have come here to discuss the matter on the good king, not antagonize one another. Raiza, what do you propose?”

“Me? Personally, I respect the boy. Being a king is no easy feat, and when your weapon of choice is kindness, that proves you are the real deal. But…”

“But?”

“But that’s only half of me. The other half can’t stand the little shit. Kindness? Compassion? Affection!? The only people who need that garbage are bugs who eat it all up! Kings do not rule with an open palm! They rule with a steel axe! Not with open arms, but with iron bars! There would be no greater pleasure, no higher ecstasy, than to butcher that trash piece by feeble piece and parade his mangled corpse across my kingdom! Ahem, or something like that.”

“You are one sick piece of work, Raiza. But I feel the same. My mind, body, and soul burn up just thinking about him. I swear on all that I am to incinerate his kingdom and stomp on the ashes. A kingdom built on kindness is not a kingdom worth ruling.”

“I dislike him,” Mobius simply said.

“Then we are unanimous: we venture over to that king’s world and kill him where he stands.”

The aura in the room changed. It was thick with murderous intent so suffocating, any other creature would have surely perished. The Monarchs dismissed themselves with one word on their mind: murder.

**Present Day**

“What the hell, Granma!?,” Judai blurted out. “I thought you said you served Haou. That you respected him, looked up to him. Now you’re telling me that you hated me, planned to kill me, and destroy my entire kingdom just because I was being nice to people?”

“In hindsight, we acted like children. I cannot excuse myself for my past thoughts and actions. However, I have never spoken lies to you. The Mega Monarchs, including myself, placed you in high regard. But in the beginning-”

“In the beginning, you tried to kill Haou. How about you tell that part too. It’s my favorite.”

Granmarg saw all three of Yubel’s eyes quiver in murderous excitement. “ _Oh? So now you remember everything? You really like pissing me off, huh?”_ Yubel could read Granmarg like a picture book, and their pungent smugness nearly caused Granmarg’s eyes to water.. 

“Fine, I was going to tell you anyways. Funny enough, this happens to be the first time we met as well.”

**Hundreds of years prior minus a week**

Pink and blue sky, transparent waters, refreshing breezes. Summers in the capital of Puelis often becomes a melting pot of humans and monsters alike. The warmer months spell cultural festivals, fishing festivals, religious festivals, sports festivals. Anything and everything under the sun is praised and celebrated in this lively kingdom. Because of its king’s rule, these customs have spread all over Puelis, causing more and more people to make pilgrimages over to the capital just to partake in the excitement. But even for someone who once was ecstatic over the annual festivities, Haou can get overwhelmed by it all. 

During this time, Haou makes sure to take time out of everything around him and venture to a hill of emerald grass overlooking the capital. There, he soaks up the wonderful exuberance of nature and simply basks in its daytime glory. Of course, his guardian joins him. They have learned to appreciate nature’s gifts; they even started a garden with their king to then use the crops for cooking. But at the moment, the benevolent king and their forever-faithful knight idle near tree roots covered in shade. A feather’s touch breeze caresses their faces, sounds of rustling leaves replace the white noise of the bustling capital below. Yubel reaches to hold their king’s hand. He notices, and meets them halfway with a wholesome smile. He scoots closer to where their shoulders touch, never leaving eye contact. Minutes pass and still grasping the other, Haou leans towards their dragonic champion and vice versa. He stops, using his other hand- without a gauntlet as it was taken off prior- to lovingly admire their features. Yubel leaned into their touch, drinking it in like water. But they were getting impatient. Their king saw their eyes twist with need. Haou couldn’t say no to them. With a loving grace, their lips become enraptured in the other’s embrace. They kissed like it was going out of style. Their minds abandoned all else, and focused only on three senses: touch, sound, and taste. While the rest of their body was smooth but hard, Haou noticed that the lips of their beloved were incredibly soft. So soft that Haou felt like he could melt into the kiss, no matter how rough they got. A rich cacophony that only they could play and only for them to listen, the smacks of the lips were music to Yubel’s ears. Especially when they pressed harder to elicit juicy moans from their king which only made them want more. And luckily, Haou tried a minty candy on their walk up to the hill. To this day, Yubel’s favorite flavor is mint in remembrance of this day.

It was too much and not enough. It dulled their senses causing time to seem like it stopped, and simultaneously overloaded them and threw them into the future. Whether they embraced for 5 seconds or 5 years, it did not matter to them. They would do it again and again, unable to satiate their need to hold each other. To feel the other’s presence. To smell them. To see them. To kiss over and over until, for the time being, they part. Again, Haou looks at their knight’s heterochromatic eyes and Yubel into his sparkling golden ones. Haou sinks to lay his head on Yubel’s lap, head facing up to them. It surprised them, but Yubel was quick to stroke his unconventional copper-colored hair. No words needed to be exchanged. They had each other’s company, and that was enough.

But all good things do not last. Violently disturbing the tranquility at the emerald hill, a ginormous icicle pierced through the ground right in front of them. Before they finished getting up, the woods around them were immediately burned to cinders and subsequently sent awry by gale force winds. To complete this madness of nature, the ground shuddered and chasmed to expose a gigantic boulder. The massive rock blew apart revealing an equally huge monster clad in luxuriant, gold armor. In a similar fashion, the icicle broke apart, releasing a miniature blizzard in the form of a monster nearly as tall as the rock monster wearing ice blue armor with spikes on his joint areas. The wind and fire showed two more armor clad giants with light green and pinkish coloring; both nearly equal in size to the monster out from the earth. It seemed like an eternity when they all simply stared at Puelis’s ruler, until the cold titan spoke first.

“Are you the king of this world?” Mobius asked half-heartedly.

He looked to his guardian, “I am the king of this nation. Who is asking?”

“Hey, hey. No need to be so humble,” Thestalos laughed out. “We’ve heard your kingdom spans this entire world. Address yourself with pride next time, from king to king.”

“You “heard”? Either you live under a rock or you’re not from this place. And to be honest, considering how that one got here, I can’t tell which is correct.”

Yubel switched from Thestalos to Granmarg while speaking. Already, the two were at odds.

“And what are you supposed to be? The king’s concubine?” Granmarg scoffed back at Yubel.

“Knight in service to the king and his people. His guardian. His shield. And, his love.” Yubel’s eyes shined with growing fury, “Do not, for the rest of your life, get that wrong again.”

“Ooooooooo! Whatever that is got you there, Granite,” Raiza interjected. “Oops, where are manners? My name is Raiza, the Mega Monarch of winds. That hunk of rock over there is Granmarg, Mega Monarch of rock. This precious little snowflake right here is Mobius, the Mega Monarch of frost.” Raiza paused, “And that’s Thestalos.”

Haou looked at the fiery Monarch then back at Raiza. “Is… is he a Mega Monarch too or…”

“Yes! Yes I am! Thanks for asking! I am Thestalos, the Mega Monarch of fire, flames, magma, volcanos, fire storms, the stars and suns of this universe, and-

Mobius grew weary because of Thestalos’s constant gloating. So to prevent having to gouge out his eardrums, the frosty monarch froze Thestalos’s head. Even if he’s the firestorm monarch; that ice won’t melt for at least 10 minutes. Perfect amount of time for them to explain what they’re doing here. Mobius nodded to Granmarg and he responded in kind.

“Benevolent king, you probably have several questions for us. But we will only answer one: why we are here. We are here to kill you. You will not live to find out why. How… unfortunate for you.”

Haou couldn’t say a word before he was assaulted by the elements themselves in a lethal manner. But they never reached him. He heard the ground crack and something come out from it followed by the cries of the Monarchs and their bodies flopping to the ground. “ **Nightmare Pain.”** He opened his eyes to see a familiar back standing in front to take the brunt of anything that may harm him. He would have to reward them personally later. For now, he would see to the battered and near dead bodies of his would-be assailants. 

“Well, you weren’t kidding on that “shield” shtick, he, he, he-HACK!” Raiza said to proceed to cough violently. “You want to tell me what the hell you hit me with?”

“Start by talking about why you tried to kill us and maybe I’ll consider it.”

The Mega Monarchs heaved and wheezed, trying to get their breath. None of them said a word, too injured. Too angry that their perceived godliness was swept away by a child and his pet. Shockingly, Mobius stood unharmed. He was even slouched, carelessly looking down to his brethren then back to Yubel and Haou.

“We came here from Terra tyrannōrum to kill you and destroy your kingdom. As Monarchs, we are kings who rule over our subjects unlike you. With borderline scorn and terror, our citizens and soldiers follow us in fear of what could happen otherwise. We Monarchs have done this for centuries, but we saw _you_. Instantly, we despised your leadership, labeling it as heresy for ruling a kingdom and uniting its people under a banner of kindness. So we wanted your head.”

“That’s incredibly childish, Mobius,” Yubel said with crossed arms.

“Indeed. I only came with them to see if they could do it. But they were punished like the misbehaving brats they truly are.” Mobius looked back at the crippled Monarchs and sighed. “Listen, I will speak on their behalf. What do you ask of us for disturbing you like this? We will do anything to make it up to you.”

“Well, Yubel may not trust you at first. But, I would be more than happy to have you as royal knights or maybe even ambassadors across dimensions. We don’t get visitors, and there is something that, when the time comes, I will need all the help I can get. I wish for unneeded suffering to end and to spread the force of good to the rest of the universe. Will you and the other Mega Monarchs help me with our goal?”

Mobius kneeled to the benevolent ruler, “I would be more than happy to, my king.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was a joy to write honestly. The Mega Monarchs, albeit in a flashback, are finally here. And I got to have them say things reflecting how they actually act. The other things in the chapter may as well be headcanon stuff. They never named the kingdom that Haou was born in, so I named it. The Mega Monarchs were never seen like the monsters in Dark World during GX, so I just gave them personalities matching the elements they command. Their dimension is called Terra tyrannōrum, not the world they live in. This is where not only the Mega Monarchs in the story live, but on other planets, where the other Monarch cards live like Erebus, the underworld monarch and Esther, the heavenly monarch. Fun fact: the name of their dimension is latin for "The land of the tyrants". On the nose, I know. 
> 
> I feel like that makeout scene was the pinnacle of my writing career so far. It felt like an improvement to the one in Persuasions. It makes me think that I could even write something a little more, "risque*. lol. The next chapter will probably be the last chapter so to all who read this, thanks for the support. It was weird at first seeing the hits and kudos increase because this was just a rant. This fanfic was created on the purely because I lamented was angry at season 4 and wanted to stop being angry at it. So if I ever create another fic, I got angry at something again. But if it was a lewd one, it's because I can't draw. 
> 
> Last chapter sometime next week. Have a good day/night :)


	6. Completions

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading

“What happened after that?” Judai asked.

“We ended up serving you in numerous diplomatic endeavors, the occasional violent outbursts and conflicts, and the battle against the Light. What ever happened to that scourge? Is it still present?”

“Possessed some people on Judai’s planet and corrupted my soul because he sent me out into space,” Yubel answered deadpan. They then felt a small but noticeable spasm in their soul. “And before you say it: I know you didn’t know any better and I still forgive you, Judai.” 

“You sent Yubel into space? Why? How?” Granmarg asked in worry.

“It’s a long story. I’m not entirely Haou, only his reincarnation. As a child, Yubel was my favorite card and I used them all the time. But I wasn’t a great duelist, so I kept on losing. Yubel saw me losing as me getting hurt, so kid me thought to send them out into space so the Gentle Darkness can purify their soul. Turns out, they were corrupted by the Light, they made me seem like my friends were killed, turned into a contaminated Haou, turned back, dueled Yubel, fused our souls and devoted our eternal love to each other, and here we are. Give or take a few events here and there across dimensions.”

Granmarg idled. He stopped to absorb what he just heard. Anyone in that scenario would need time and energy to think about what came out of this boy’s mouth. Especially when the one listening knows everyone in the story, but has no idea on what events they were talking about. Judai looked up to his guardian, slightly worried. Yubel didn’t need any words.

“Granma. All you need to know is that your king and his faithful knight have returned. Address your superiors in a proper manner, plebeian,” Yubel barked.

“Of course, Royal Knight. You grace me with your presence and intellect once again.” Granmarg bowed his head like when he saw Haou Judai.

“It seems like you remember your place. Then enough with these stories and give us a straight answer: who is this false king?”

“I… do not know.” Yubel’s face practically contorted with anger, prompting Granmarg to continue. “That false king never said his name!” Granmarg hurriedly pronounced. “But, even if I am expendable enough to not know something so simple, I am aware of where he and my Monarch brethren lay. In a cave right in the center of the Forgotten Wastes. That is where he remains to be.”

Judai shifted in his love’s arms, still hovering in a bridal carry. “Then what are we waiting for!? Let’s hurry over and find out who’s behind this and stop them!”

“Patience, Judai. We will be over there quickly and without worry of our safety because we’ll take those monsters with us. Is that alright with you, Granmarg?”

“There would be no greater honor. In fact, I would gladly make the voyage with you both to guarantee your safety.”

“That’d be great, Gran-”

Yubel sliced their arm in the air, silencing them. “Denied. Your orders are to assist the citizens of Freedom with damages to make up for your crimes. Once completed, you are to head over to the Wastes. Clear?”

“Crystal.”

“Then get to it.” Yubel flew back down to the walls, letting Judai on to his feet. “This is most likely the end to this fiasco, so is there anything you need to do before we head out?”

“There’s one thing. You think Misawa could come with us? He’s resourceful and a great duelist. Tanya would be even better, especially with the both of them. Right?”

“Misawa also would have been useful when you were searching for the runt- I mean Johan. And he would still have been useful when you went into my castle. You’re so right, Judai. Misawa would be great for this and in no way would he ever think of staying here with that Amazoness instead of helping his only human friend.”

The more Yubel spoke, the wider their smile became. It became painfully obvious that Yubel was back to being noxiously sarcastic. But when Judai thought about it, Misawa did seem to always stay behind. Whether it was foolishly joining the Society of Light or the events Yubel mentioned, ever since he met with Tanya, Misawa hasn’t been as active as Judai thought he was. Granted, he did help Duel Academia get back to their own world, but that doesn’t make up for the other times he could have used his help. Especially in the hellhole that was Dark World. Judai doesn’t want to doubt his friend, but when the going gets tough, Judai can only trust his deck to pull through. 

“But it would be rude to simply leave him here,” Judai half-heartedly retorted.

“Remember when he left everything else for this place. For Freedom. Now that I think about it, he probably came up with the name. Misawa probably thinks of this place as a getaway from your reality in favor of this. Could be because of Tanya. Could be because he sucks at dueling. Most likely both. Say your goodbyes if you wish; it is not like I can fully stop you. But I feel it to be largely unnecessary.”

Judai pondered on it once again. Yubel’s words, while sour, were true. It’s not like they had much to talk about to begin with. This trip was only partially to see Misawa anyways. What he really came to do was travel with Yubel. To see beautiful vistas with their favorite card/guardian/lover and just enjoy each other’s company. Maybe triggering some memories of his past life. But no. Some jerk with a superiority complex had to derail that and sent a damn rock giant to kill him. And now there are three other ones, equally as massive and dangerous holed away in some cave he doesn’t know where. He can go see Misawa afterwards, but first, someone has to answer for everything to this point. 

The spiritual duo exchanged looks, telling everything to the other without a single word. They understood that this trip is no longer a frivolous venture. For the people of Dark World and the people of the other dimensions, what happens now affects them all. Now, it is the time to end this for good.

***

Sand: rough and smooth, gross and pretty, insignificant but taking up too much space. The sands of the Forgotten Wastes were a pleasant blend of easy reds and purples with hints of deep blues and light tans. Inside the sands were tiny monsters like in Dark World, but these were around the size of human hands and they were very few and far between. The Forgotten Wastes did not get it’s name for being a pleasant locale. The animal and plant life are even more barren than Dark World with even fewer monsters or humans. All there is to see are craggy mountain sides, relatively beautiful but endless sands, and wind speeds ranging from bothersome to dangerously close to picking you up and casting you away all under a foreboding dark purple sky. Some say the Forgotten Wastes was once a lively location, packed full of life. But one day, three evil gods laid waste to it. Because of its dubious origin and the dreadful shape it remains to be in, its name became widely accepted. 

Though almost void of any existences, in one of the mountains was a gigantic mouth to a cavern; this one was about triple the size of the entrance to Freedom. It took almost half a day and the loss of a certain dragon’s sanity, but they all made it thanks to the monsters’ guidance. 

“I pray to no god, so praise be to the Mythic Demons for ending this shitty hike,” Yubel panted. “Hey, you monsters. Are they all in here?”

None spoke, too afraid of Yubel’s growing agitation. A couple of the monsters in front nodded. Yubel sighed, half in relief and half in still growing annoyance. But within their soul was courage, determination, and… fury? Yubel noticed an ire not belonging to them, but to Judai. They figured he was just as bit angry as they were. They also noticed that his eyes were still golden. “ _ Has he been Haou this whole time?”  _ Yubel thought.

“Once we finish this, and return to Freedom to tell everyone what transpired, you wanna travel somewhere else? Maybe a beach or a great, big field?”

Yubel still saw the sheen of Haou in his eyes, but they knew Judai wasn’t only Judai. He is Haou and Haou is Judai. They are one in the same. Why else would Yubel care so fiercely about him if not the truth?    
  


“We put an end to this, and I’ll take you to a secret spot Haou and I once went to.”

The boy shared a small smile, but it still held his trademark exuberance all come to know and love. Yubel motioned for some of the monsters to follow and the others to watch the cave entrance. The cave was not lit by shimmering crystals like in Freedom, but the walls were lined with grand torches. The giant entrance let wind come and go as it went which mixed with the overall chilly room temperature. Though the torches were spaced infrequently, they were big enough to give off light and heat to counteract it.

“A  _ cave, torches, wind, and a noticeable chill,”  _ Judai thought. “ _ The Monarchs are always so full of themselves, aren’t they?” _

To add to that sentiment, the group of monsters and not-as-human-as-other-humans human reached a grand door. It was larger than the entrance, with colors of many shades of blue, yellow, red, orange, brown, and purple. Lined on the outer edges were spectacular gemstones of all the colors of the rainbow. The door itself had embossings divided into three segments. At the top were snowflakes, the middle were symbols akin to what wind would look like, and the bottom was a pit of fire covering screaming skulls. Each of the Monarchs had a part of the design for this door due to their overwhelming vanity. But one piece stood out, overshadowing the rest. In the center was a deep black skull with red eyes. In no stories or retentions, from Granmarg or Yubel, did they mention a skull Monarch. For Judai’s sake, he hopes there is not a hidden fifth Monarch ready to kill them as soon as they open that door. However, there was no need. 

The gate to the Monarchs opened on its own accord. They saw what was expected: three giant monsters clad in red, blue, and green armor. Thestalos, Mobius, and Raiza: all awesome in their appearance, but to see them in person brought the unnerving pressure they all exude. Judai was ready for that, he had experienced it as Haou and now with Granmarg. But something was amiss. There was a young man likely as old as Judai standing in between the Monarchs. His clothes were ragged and torn, covered in dust and dirt. His probably faded cloak was tearing at the seams and presented questionable week or possibly even month old stains. Judai could not smell him, but he assumed it was something terrible. Judai could not see his face as it was covered by a brown but not torn cloak. 

“Welcome,” he boasted in a cocky tone. “Step inside your King’s palace.

Judai tried to rack his brain for the identity matching his voice, but Yubel already figured it out.

“Long time no talk. I wondered where you ended up after your love fed me that wonderful darkness all that time ago.”

Judai turned to the cloaked figure and saw a great bundle of red hair as he removed it. Cracked glasses, bruises and cuts galore, a shit-eating grin exuding arrogant energy. He has seen better days, even when he was a trash-wandering orphan, but Amon Garam still held his head high. For if he were to give up, everything he had done and sacrificed for would be all for naught. 

“Amon!? What are you doing? How are you here?”

“Would you like me to tell you the long or short story?” Amon still said with a cocky grin.

“Down to the minute detail. I want to know exactly how you’re still breathing, you trash,” Yubel replied.

“Very well then. After my duel with you, I was sent to that dimension not unlike hell. I was submerged in a great sea so dark that I couldn’t see my hand right in front of my face. The currents pushed and pulled me. I felt fish bombard me from all directions. It was pure suffering.”

Yubel slyly giggled. “You’re welcome.”

“Yes, pure anguish that  _ you _ put me through. Everything was because of  _ you _ , and if I never spoke to  _ you _ , none of this would have happened. Echo would have…!” Amon bowed his head, his arms shaking in frustration. Judai could not see, but he was sure that his eyes were brimming with tears. Amon steadied himself to continue, “But that is all in the past now. Whatever happened that freed me from my prison was a godsend. I lost track of how long I spent wandering through these lands. Tired, hungry, and near-death. I had nothing anymore and nothing to live for, but I still walked. And for my willpower, I was gifted. Gifted another chance to become King using them! The Mega Monarchs! With them, I will rule over all and become King of all worlds! The King of existence itself!”

“Yeah, yeah, whatever,” Yubel droned on unimpressed. “We’ve already heard about how Dark World is even more of a cesspool with your antics. And now you want to use these blockheads and a militia of fodder breaking 100. You call yourself a King? Please, if you are a king, then those clods are gods among gods. And that would make me the Supreme being of the 12 universes, peerless and unmatched in power, intelligence, and beauty. ...Now that I think about it, maybe you are a king.”

Thestalos was befuddled at first, but he recognized that sass anywhere. He turned to his Monarch brethren who all reciprocated. All of the Monarchs remember them, and the boy standing next to them.

“Well, well, well. What do we have here?” Raiza playfully asked.

“No way. There’s just no way they’re here. I don’t believe it,” Thestalos said.

“Whether you believe it or not, they’re here. Right in front of our eyes,” Mobius uttered, slightly joyed.

“Our King has returned to us!” they all said.

The Monarchs rushed over to Yubel and Judai, overjoyed at the appearance of their estranged king. They all kneeled with bowed heads along with the monsters behind Judai. “ _ This must be what Haou would see everyday. Guess I should get used to it,”  _ Judai pondered. He looked up to Yubel who simply smiled with their signature crossed arms. Judai looked back to Amon who was practically melting in disbelief and anger. 

“What are you all doing!?” Amon screamed. “I’m the King! You are supposed to be praising me and destroying him! Not the other way around!”

Thestalos turned to his “king”, “All we’re doing is praising him, not destroying you. Would you like us to?” Amon was stunned with his mouth simply agape. “You were never our King. You were just a replacement for the true King. But now he has returned to us. Which means you’re no longer needed.”

“Plus, we never liked you anyway,” Raiza added. “Your dreams of universal domination are grossly overdone. You’re not the first one to think that they can conquer everything and rule it all. Oh, and if you lost to Yubel, how do you expect to rule the universe?”

“And you smell like shit,” Mobius interjected. 

Not even a minute ago, Amon was proudly declaring his power to Judai. Now, he’s left with nothing. Once again, with no friends, no deck- no Echo- Amon realizes his loneliness choking him where he stands. He knows that he will soon perish, overtaken by the plagues on his mind and on his body. But the Garam boy was thrown out of his negative stupor when he felt a hand on his shoulder. 

“Amon, was it?” Judai asked. “In all honesty, I don’t know you very well. You were definitely different from the other students at Duel Academia. And you were much more reserved, not talking to really anyone besides a few. But I heard from Manjoume that the two of you dueled. I wish I got to see that.”

“What is your point, Judai?” Amon ordered defeatedly. 

“What I’m saying is that, even if I don’t know you or that you’ve fallen from grace, you can start over again. Maybe not as a king, but you can live a life you’re happy with. A life that doesn’t include world domination, hopefully.”

“But if I can’t be king, then everything I’ve done means nothing. I can’t be anyone if I’m not King.”

Judai sat in silence for a second. Amon’s words bring attention to something the dropout boy thought about when returning to Dark World. Something especially so when he met Granmarg for the first time again. “ _ Judai and Haou are two sides of the same coin.”  _ He remembered those words, and he knows what he should do. 

“Then I’ll have to create a place where you can start over. As Haou.”

“What do you mean?”

“I heard from Granmarg that Haou expanded his kingdom across the world using nothing but kindness and compassion for his people. A place where anyone and everyone can feel safe and belonging. That was his dream, his goal in life, and in death through me. I will make that a reality. But, a king needs an army. And an army needs a commander. I just don’t know who would be a capable candidate for the job. Someone who loves to lead, with a strong body and mind. Preferably someone with experience as well.” Judai dramatically sighed, “But it’s not like someone would just be laying around with all of those talents. Sigh.”

Now Amon is confused. Clearly he matches all of those criteria. He's been a natural-born leader since childhood. But Judai isn’t even looking at him. They spent about a minute standing silent, until Yubel nearly tore off Amon’s head when they grabbed him.

“Does he need to spell it out for you!? He means you, dumbass!”

“Oh. Wait, really? You want me to command your army?”

“Uhh, I guess. You’ll probably be added or changed to specific roles, but commander-in-chief of Haou’s army sounds like the correct role.”

Amon was about to yell in sheer delight before reverting back to his stoic personality. “Ahem, it would be a great honor to serve you, and your great kingdom, Judai.”

“Don’t forget, you’re serving me too,” Yubel interrupted. 

“Yes, I wouldn’t ever forget you, monster.”

“What was that, punk?!”

This proceeded on for some time.

**2 years later**

Puelis: the homeworld of Haou. It has been many years since the reign of the true King of monsters, but now it is back in full force. Though it takes time and lots of effort to fully rebuild and for others to return as Haou’s subjects. In the beginning, some of the Light’s minions invaded the planet to try and destroy it before it could be built. But they would not let it. Yubel was even stronger now, and their determination to protect this world grew even fiercer than all of those years past. They made sure no harm would ever befall this place, no matter the enemy.

Now, after almost 2 years since the beginning of the rebuilding of Haou’s kingdom, it’s still a work in progress. But only in terms of physical infrastructure which is only a matter of when the kingdom will be fully built. Monsters and humans across the galaxy are coming back to Puelis. With people comes houses and markets, and more people and houses to hold more people. Puelis will grow into the societal paragon of virtue it once was.

Away from the growing commotion, there rests a hill with grass green as emeralds. At this moment, the king and his trusty advisor revel in nature’s luxuriance. 

“I’ve never been here before. But I know Haou has.”

“You’re right. It was where we often go to escape the excitement of your kingdom. It was also a place we spent if we wanted to get a little… passionate,” Yubel added with a knowing smile.”

Judai wrapped his arms around his love’s neck, “Then, would you like to get… passionate like we used too?” Judai replied just as smugly.

“It would be my pleasure, my king.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Done. Definitely a least a little proud of myself for sticking with it and actually finished. It was always in my mind to write so people like you don't have to spend months for just one chapter. Especially if the fic itself is mediocre. 
> 
> But besides that, I would like to divulge some behind-the-scenes info. Loose Ends was chosen as the title because of the plot in the story were "loose ends" I was mad that they didn't explore in season 4. These were: Yubel only showing up in the last 4 episodes of S4, Misawa and Amon not showing up in S4, and that lack luster final boss known as Darkness. So I incorporated that all as the plot and driving force for Loose Ends. I wanted to simply write stuff with Yubel as they are my favorite character by a landslide. I wanted to give what would be an interesting episode in the anime with Judai going back to Dark World to see Misawa and having Amon be alive and still trying to become King. And for Darkness, I didn't put him here because why would he be. Also, he's lame. What kind of final boss loses three times before the final fight, but Yubel over here never lost a single duel. Straight blasphemy.
> 
> Some other things: Amon. His role in the story was always causing the capitalizing on the power vacuum left by Yubel and Haou to become King. But very early, I had Amon turn into Raiza as the leader of the Monarchs. And not the Mega Monarchs. Just the regular ones. I scrapped that idea to what became the one in the story. But as I was writing the final chapter, I thought about another plot element where Amon was trying to resurrect another Monarch: Erebus, the underworld Monarch. I thought against it as it probably would not have gone too well, so in remembrance, the skull in the middle of the door in Amon's hideout is supposed to symbolize Erebus. 
> 
> I enjoyed writing this, and I really appreciate all of you reading this up to this point. Or those who just simply read the early chapters. This was a passion project, but a project I put a lot of passion into to make it as best as possible. And if you want, comment on this chapter which was your favorite chapter and why. Or don't that's fine.
> 
> No one will make fan art of a college kid's fanfic, but if you did, @warjr95 That's the twitter account. 
> 
> But that's all I have to say. Have a good rest of you *insert time of day here* and Merry Christmas to those who read this on time. Stan Yubel and watch Attack on Titan :)

**Author's Note:**

> This feels like it should just be a one-shot but I'm not letting it be one. How long? Not sure but I will conclude this eventually and your favorite non-binary dragon demon will be here all the way. 
> 
> If anyone actually does read this and likes it, thanks. If you don't but you still read it, thanks. This is purely a passion project of sorts created by some college kid who's pissed off about an anime based off a card game so what does it matter.
> 
> I have nothing to plug here. Don't ask


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